Top 10 shipyards/countries by order book (LNG/containers)

by admin October 14, 2025 4283 13 min read

Top Builder Countries — Container Ships (Orderbook, 2025)

By TEU, the container orderbook in late Aug–Sep 2025 is concentrated in China (~71.9%) and South Korea (~22.1%); the remainder is split across Japan and others. The global container orderbook is around 10 MTEU.

~9.95–10.4 MTEU global container orderbook (Aug–Sep 2025) China 71.9% • Korea 22.1% (by TEU)

China 71.9%

Korea 22.1%

Others 6.0%

Rank	Country	Position in 2025
1	China	#1 by orderbook (TEU) — ~71.9% share.
2	South Korea	#2 — ~22.1% share; dominant in large high-spec builds.
3	Japan	Selective programs; consolidation under Imabari–JMU.
4–10	Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Türkiye, Romania	Niche/regional books; together comprise “Others”.

Sources: Alphaliner / Global Maritime Hub; orderbook near 10 MTEU (late Aug–Sep 2025); TEU shares China 71.9%, Korea 22.1%.

Top Builder Countries — LNG Carriers (Orderbook & 2025 Deliveries)

As of July 2025, South Korea holds ~66% of the global LNG newbuilding orderbook. The LNG orderbook equals about 44% of the fleet, with ~332 vessels under construction; 2025 is shaping up as a record delivery year.

~66% Korea’s share of LNG orderbook (Jul 2025) 44% orderbook-to-fleet ratio (end-Jul 2025) ~332 LNGC under construction (end-Jul 2025)

Korea 66%

Others 34%

Rank	Country	2024–2025 Evidence
1	South Korea	≈66% of global LNG orderbook; focus on 170–180k m³ large LNGCs; strong positions of GTT containment and X-/WinGD engines across projects.
2	China	Hudong-Zhonghua targets 10+ LNGC deliveries in 2025 and has multiple launches; QatarEnergy placed six QC-Max at CSSC for 2028–2031 delivery.
3	Japan	Selective long-lead projects; cooperation with Korean/Chinese yards; niche LNG and LNG-bunkering units.
4–10	EU & Others	Single-digit projects; focus on small-scale LNG and specialty vessels.

Sources: Clarksons (Jul 2025): Korea ~66% share; orderbook/fleet ~44%; Intermodal/Riviera: ~332 LNGC under construction; Hudong-Zhonghua launches and 2025 delivery targets; QatarEnergy QC-Max at CSSC (delivery 2028–2031).

Top-10 Shipyards by Orderbook (LNG / Container) — Shares & Deliveries

2024–2025 snapshot: China dominates container ship ordering (majority of the top-10 order-intake yards are Chinese), while South Korea leads LNG (~66% of the LNG carrier orderbook). CSSC consolidation strengthened China’s container footprint; Japan is regrouping via Imabari–JMU.

China

CSSC · Hudong-Zhonghua (Shanghai)

China’s LNG flagship; multiple launches and a goal of 10+ LNGC deliveries in 2025; QC-Max series for QatarEnergy (deliveries 2028–2031).

CSSC · Jiangnan Shipyard

Expanding large LNGC capability since 2022; substantial container portfolio (ULCV / Neo-Panamax).

CSSC · Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC)

Developing LNG capability; active in container programs; beneficiary of CSSC scale.

Yangzijiang Shipbuilding

Strong container backlog incl. dual-fuel; key beneficiary of China’s ~72% container orderbook share.

COSCO Shipping Heavy / NACKS

Large container projects and specialized vessels; contributes to China’s container leadership.

South Korea & Japan

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries / HD KSOE

Large LNG and container portfolios; steel-cuts and series for QatarEnergy in 2025; benchmark pricing and build quality.

Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI)

Six-LNGC contract announced in Aug 2025; active container programs with alternative-fuel engines.

Hanwha Ocean (ex-DSME)

LNG-centric backlog; ongoing corporate news in late-2025; competitive on large LNGC series.

Imabari + Japan Marine United (JMU)

Consolidation and state support; focus on lower-emission technologies and a gradual share recovery path.

CSSC (Group total)

One of the world’s largest groups by orderbook; diversified exposure across containers and LNG.

Sources — Shipbuilding Orderbooks (Containers & LNG)

Curated primary/industry sources underpinning the three blocks above (shares by country, orderbook levels, and 2025 delivery context).

Alphaliner Weekly / Alphaliner Monthly Monitor (2024–Q3 2025). Breakdown of container orderbook by builder country (TEU), including China ~71.9% and South Korea ~22.1%, plus monthly order-intake and deliveries.
Global Maritime Hub — Container Orderbook & Capacity Outlook (2024–2025 digests). Aggregated charts on orderbook approaching ~10 MTEU and distribution by country/shipyard groups.
Clarksons Research — Shipping Intelligence Network (SIN) & World LNG reports, July 2025. LNG carrier orderbook shares by country (South Korea ~66%), orderbook-to-fleet ratio (~44%), and fleet under construction (~332 LNGC).
Clarksons Research — Newbuild Market Tracker (2024–2025). Contracting trends across containers and LNG; quarterly updates on pricing and berth availability in China/Korea/Japan.
Riviera Maritime Media — LNG carrier market coverage (H1–H2 2025). Weekly build updates, under-construction counts, and delivery schedules supporting the 2025 “record deliveries” note.
Intermodal Weekly Market Report (June–Aug 2025 issues). LNG newbuilding summaries, Korean share validation, and monthly progress on Chinese LNG programs.
Seatrade Maritime News — Yard updates 2024–2025. Coverage of Hudong-Zhonghua launches and yearly delivery targets (10+ LNGC in 2025), plus Chinese container programs.
MarineLink / TradeWinds — Newbuilding briefs (2024–2025). Samsung Heavy Industries six-LNGC contract (Aug 2025) and additional LNG series across Korean yards.
QatarEnergy announcements (2024–2025) & CSSC/Hudong-Zhonghua releases. QC-Max expansions (additional six units) with delivery windows in 2028–2031; coordination across Korean and Chinese yards for North Field Expansion.
Company/yard disclosures (HD Hyundai, Hanwha Ocean, Imabari/JMU, Yangzijiang, DSIC, Jiangnan, NACKS) 2024–2025. Portfolio snapshots, steel-cut/launch milestones, and alternative-fuel engine adoption in container and LNG series.

Notes: Figures reflect the latest publicly reported snapshots available in 2024–2025. Exact values may vary by cut-off date and methodology (e.g., TEU vs vessel counts; inclusion of optional berths). Where precise industry densities were unavailable, we used consistent evidence across the cited sources to anchor rankings and shares.